SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WJPF) — U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued four separate disaster declarations for various parts Illinois due to tornadoes and drought that occurred during the 2023 growing season.
The following counties have received USDA Disaster Designations. Primary and contiguous counties are eligible for the same assistance.
Designation 1: A tornado that occurred during March 31
Primary Counties: Bureau, Clark, Crawford
Contiguous Counties: Coles, Henry, Lawrence, Putnam, Stark, Cumberland, Jasper, Lee, Richland, Whiteside, Edgar, LaSalle, Marshall
Designation Number 2: A tornado that occurred during April 4
Primary County: Fulton
Contiguous Counties: Knox, Mason, Schuyler, Warren, McDonough, Peoria, Tazewell
Designation Number 3: Tornados and high winds that occurred March 31 – April 5
Primary Counties: Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, Sangamon
Contiguous Counties: Bureau, Knox, Menard, Stark, Cass, Logan, Montgomery, Warren,
Christian, Macon, Morgan, Whiteside, Henderson, Macoupin
Designation Number 4: Drought
Primary County: Randolph
Contiguous Counties: Jackson, Monroe, Perry, St. Clair, Washington
Hancock, Adams, Calhoun and Pike counties were included in a previous drought designation as contiguous counties included in a Missouri disaster designation.
A Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to provide emergency loans to farmers recovering from natural disasters. This assistance includes FSA emergency loans. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.
